Escaped
by xCeceVolumex
Summary: AU. After assisting an "escaped con", Yuiko Kubozuka finds herself drawn to a primal part of him that should frighten, not excite, her.  RATED FOR A REASON
1. Chapter 1

Beast Master _anyone? God, I just love this manga! I wish it would have been longer. ):  
>This is based on Lora Leigh's <em>Breed_ series; I beg you to go read them!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beast Master.

Chapter One

_The only secrets are the secrets that keep themselves._

Monster. Abomination. Animal.

They had spit the words, the insults at him day after day. They had hoped that their harsh words would destroy the humanity he so desperately clung to. That it would release the monster within him and create the solider they had always wanted.

There were others, sure, but he had the best genes. He came from a strong line of humans and his DNA was mixed with the most powerful leopard ever captured. Sure, there were men whose blood had been mixed with tiger and lion blood, even bears and wolves, but he was the only leopard child to survive. He was destined to be the stealthiest of all the creatures they'd made, the most potent killer. All they needed was for him to embrace the monster that dwelt within him, deep in the back of his mind.

But, despite all their training, he remained more human than the others; none of their exercises could break him. While the others became mindless killing machines, he grew more and more withdrawn, hiding from them rather than attacking the bars to get at them. They had seen great things from him in the training ring, whenever he was threatened, but remorse always closely followed. He would not kill his opponents. Ever. And that's what they needed him for.

He had no purpose, therefore, he was a liability.

He wasn't fully human, so their plan to put him down would go unopposed. There was no reason to have nightmares over the death of an animal.

Their plan was a complete failure, though knowledge of it never leaked.

Because there were no human survivors.

They had stormed into his cage—though they said it was a room—waving guns in his face. They'd shouted at him, ordering him out of what had become his only sanctuary. Never before had so many come to take him from his bed before. It had always been two at most because he was not the type to fight.

"Stand, creature."

The order put him on edge. The man that spoke was the only one that he didn't recognize, but by the way all the other men stood around him, he was sure that this strange middle-aged man was very important. Maybe even the leader of the pride.

He was sure that something was wrong, since pride leaders were only there to weed out the weak and protect the others. He did not like that he was being weeded out. He wasn't ready to die. He wanted to leave this horrible chamber and never look back.

Still, he did as he was told, rising shakily to his feet. His long black hair hung in his face, having only been cut a handful of times over the span of his eighteen years of life. Each of the men tensed as he suddenly staggered forward, closing the circle tighter around their leader. One, who was almost as young as he was, twitched over the trigger of his gun. It was easy to see that the boy was anything but confident with the weapon; his finger tightened in intervals, fear pouring off of him.

_I will keep my eye on him_, he decided, though he managed to make it look as if he weren't paying any attention to the boy. His leopard instincts made it easy to do so; that was how they hunted their prey. Stalking from the shadows.

"Creature, you are to follow these men and do as you are told. Otherwise, we will be forced to put you down here. In front of...all your little friends," the leader said harshly, his voice sounding as if he had just gotten punched in the throat. However, the offensive odor of cigarettes was crawling off of him, making the animal-like young man nearly retch with disgust.

He understood what they meant to do to him. They were going to kill him, to do away with him as they had other troublesome creatures. The first of his brethren to perish by their hand had been an upstart Celt with wolf DNA. He'd torn through his rivals with an unnatural ferocity, tearing throats out with long canines that showed heavily whenever he opened his mouth.

Then he'd gone up against the young leopard child. The creature had been fourteen then, and small. His movements were slow, almost lazy, as the wolf had paced the space with predatory grace. The wolf had been shocked at the leopard's indifference to the prodding, though he was obviously still no more than a cub.

"Well? Fight me!" he'd roared, baring those canine fangs at the feline's languid stretch.

The cat had blinked at him. "Why would I fight?"

The wolf laughed darkly at the boy's innocence. "They wish that we fight, so we fight. They want me to show them if you will be able to live up to your name, cat." He spat the last word as if it were the worst insult he could come up with.

Then, without warning, he threw himself at the small boy, fangs streaking across the fragile skin of the boy's arm. To his surprise, the child hadn't cried out. He'd simply looked down at the blood streaking down his arm and a change came over his demeanor. Rather than curling up in the corner, he'd stood to his full height, those strangely glinted eyes shining with animal instinct.

After he'd attacked, it took two heavy sedatives to get him off the wolf.

Of course, after that, the wolf had accepted the leopard as his alpha. He would protect the alpha child until the death, which was why they had ultimately put him down. He would go against orders to protect a child that wasn't even his. He would disobey his commanding officers to _pacify a kid_.

He was no longer a good solider.

They'd made the leopard boy watch as they killed his only friend.

At the memory, a small snarl rose to his lip, though he made no sound. He was a careful abomination, compared to the rest. If he made himself less noticeable, they would be unsuspecting. Without their knowledge, he had become the hunter they wanted him to be. He knew what he would have to do for survival.

And even his humanity wanted him to live.

His eyes immediately flashed to the master control hanging on the pride leader's belt. He had heard the soldiers talking about it before, wondering why there would be a button to open all of the cages. Why would they want to be able to release all of these monsters? Even if the building caught on fire, did they really want to save these creatures that even God couldn't want?

But there was a reason behind it, the "abomination" was sure. And now it would be their weakness. All he had to do was get close enough to the man in charge and he would release the entire population of his brethren. They would take their revenge on the people who had created and tortured them for so many years.

Feigning innocence, he moved closer to the door—truly, he was going towards the button. He knew that if he raised too much suspicion, they would simply shoot him and be done with it. If he was close enough, however, before he made his move, they wouldn't have the room to get a kill shot. And once he pressed that button, it wouldn't matter how many guns they had. None of them would survive.

However, the majority of the men tightened the circle around their boss. They knew that animals could and would attack an alpha to prove dominance. But their guards weren't as up as they should have been; they thought he was weak, shy.

Not when his life was in danger.

Men and women in the cages around him snarled and hissed, distracting the armed men, though. It was almost as if they understood what he intended, wanted him to have every chance to do it. No doubt they wanted their chances at the men that had prodded, insulted, raped, and tortured them.

He would be giving it to them.

As the young man fiddled with his gun, glancing down as the others threw orders at the feral animals surrounding them, the leopard saw his chance. Without a sound, he threw himself into the circle, shoving guards out of his way.

The leader's eyes widened with fright, but he had no intention of taking that man's throat. No, he would leave him to the monsters that he had truly hurt, the ones that recognized him and hated him with all of their being. With a swipe of his hand, the leopard hit the button, snarling with victory at the buzzing sound that informed him his brethren would soon be joining him in this fight.

All hell broke lose the moment the doors slid open. Roars and howls echoed as the males and females flew from their cages, unerringly finding those with guns and absently tearing through them.

The leopard's eyes met the young guard's just as animals flung themselves at him.

Sympathy fought with the ultimate need for survival within him, soon winning. "Don't touch him!" he roared, throwing himself into the fray. The attackers, as if he were their _leader_, left the boy, watching the leopard with wary speculation. Still, he kept himself in front of the guard, turning his back on the boy since he had been disarmed. "He's young. He has done nothing to warrant this. He lives."

As the pain-filled screams of the others surrounded them, the leopard looked over his shoulder at the boy.

He was surprised to find the semi-automatic weapon aimed at his heart.

Snarling, he grabbed the boy by the neck, lifting him to his feet. "I spared your life; don't make me regret it." He watched as the boy continued to aim at his vitals, wondering what was driving a boy who'd barely seen life to throw it away. Narrowing his cat-like eyes, he demanded, "Why?"

"You stole my father from me. He donated and they killed him. Because _you lived._"

The seconds became hours as he saw the boy's finger tightening on his trigger. Only thinking of survival, the leopard squeezed his hand tight, smashing his _brother_'s windpipe beneath his grip, letting him fall to the ground.

He stood there for a few moments, regret and disgust assailing him. He'd killed the only relative he would ever know. So easily he'd destroyed a life; did he deserve his own? Did he deserve to be called a _person_ when he killed like an _animal_? Perhaps those insults that had been hurled at him since he could remember were true. Perhaps he really was the monster that stalked his own nightmares, reminding him of what they had intended for him to be.

Without really seeing, he gazed at the scene before him. Blood and gore. Everywhere. Men had tried to escape up the stairs—including the master of this place—only to be torn apart. _This is what they created, this is what they wanted_, he reminded himself, trying to force back the nausea in his stomach. They had brought this upon themselves, with their "training" and insults. They hadn't thought that the creatures they had made would fight back, would be smart enough to break out.

And none of them lived to regret the decision.

He walked past the bodies, moving up the stairs purposefully, wondering to himself whether it was day or night. They couldn't see the sun from their cages, only knew what the warmth of it on their skin was during their forced "exercises".

_Wolf,_ he thought to himself, _I wish you could have seen this day._

Swinging the door open, he turned to the others, who watched him with expectant eyes, faces and bodies smeared with blood. He couldn't help but blink at how they watched him, wondering why they had decided that he was the right one to lead them.

All he could manage to say to them was, "We're free."

That was how the revolution began. Using the knowledge they could acquire, the abominations traveled around the country, releasing all the others that they could. Soon, there were too many of them to count, too many for the government that had sponsored their creation to ignore.

They were finally acknowledged. They were finally _equal_.

And they were led by a young leopard who, after finding his genetic records, took his father's last name and gave himself a first name that spoke of his animal heritage.

Leo Aoi was reborn.

_Desperate times call for desperate measures._

Yuiko Kubozuka _hated_ the powerlessness invading her. It was as if there were nothing she could do, no way that she could help someone she desperately wanted to help. She felt useless, her entire existence meaningless. As she looked up into the leaves of the tree she stood under, her desperation finally took hold.

"Kitty!" she cried, waving her arms wildly. "Come down, kitty! I only want to help you!" Knowing that the branch was too far away from the ground for her to actually make it to it, she still climbed as far up the trunk as she could, ignoring the stuck cat's hiss of fury. When claws struck her across the face, she fell to the ground without so much as crying out. "I just want to help you!"

She repeated this process several times over the next half hour, ending each time with a new scratch somewhere on her body.

Yuiko loved animals. She would do anything for them because of that.

But they _hated her._ Dogs would snarl and nip at her, cats would scratch her. Even rabbits would snap their teeth at her.

Her father, the veterinarian, explained that it was her _enthusiasm_ that had animals on edge. When she threw herself at them, she made animals wary of her, frightened of her exuberance. He explained that you were supposed to be calm with animals when you first met them, making them feel comfortable with you before you so much as touch them.

Still, she couldn't help herself. She just wanted to pet them, to love them. When she saw animals, she was overtaken with the need to show them that emotion. She could never just...calm herself. Her father swore that it would be the death of her, but she couldn't help it; she wanted an animal to love her, too.

Sighing, she plopped down on the ground, looking at the base of the tree. There was absolutely no way for her to get the cat down until it came down on its own. It didn't matter if she climbed up the trunk; the cat would simply climb higher. And she couldn't risk it going too high. It might hurt itself if it fell then.

_No, I will save the cat!_

Determination filled her gaze and she moved with purpose towards the trunk. Perhaps if she climbed up one side, the cat would go down the other. If that were the case, she could drop to the ground and catch the cat where she was more comfortable and knew they were both safe from falling. Maybe she could even get the cat to rub up on her and purr in gratitude for getting it down.

With a wide smile, Yuiko started to claw her way up. She _would_ get the cat down. For once, she would be an animal's friend.

Suddenly, there was a rustling in the leaves and a thump behind her. She looked up, desperate to see that the cat was all right. However, it wasn't in the tree. No, it had disappeared.

The young woman spun around, hoping that the cat was all right, and caught sight of something she had never before witnessed in her twenty years of life.

A black-haired man with dark, glinting eyes was crouched, holding the cat to one shoulder. He wore no shirt, showing the scars riddling his back and sides. She had no doubt that they had to curl around to his torso as well. The fingers on each hand were long and dirty, mud and grime under the fingernails that told her he'd been digging. But it wasn't all this that shocked her, that made her give a small gasp and take an instinctive step backwards.

No, it was the blood streaking down his arms and face.

He looked like he was covered in it, marinading in it. Was that even possible? How could someone be so...soaked?

He rose with predatory grace, letting the cat run away. As if testing the waters, he turned towards her, taking two forceful steps forward. Those strange eyes never left her as she took another involuntary step away from him. Every primal instinct within her told her that he was dangerous, that he was a much worse animal than anything she'd ever encountered before. And this one she couldn't coerce with food or shelter.

They continued the dance of predator and prey until Yuiko's back hit the bark of the tree. She had no where else to go, not without turning her back on him. Every movement of his was like a jungle cat's; lethargic and full of purpose. Nothing he did was by accident; he knew everything that went on around them.

God, she just wished she hadn't let that cat out the door by accident!

When he finally got close enough for her to smell the coppery odor of drying blood on him, she took a deep breath, careful to hold it in. She didn't know what to do, had never been so petrified in her life. Her father often chastised her for being too violent, too confrontational. She had gotten into too many fights at school and had never been frozen by fear before in her life.

Now was a different story.

The man opened his mouth as he loomed over her—was it possible for a human to be so many inches taller than her?—and she saw that there were four fangs in his top row of teeth. First, two long canine teeth, the most noticeable of any of them. But right behind those were smaller, sharper looking fangs that seemed to gleam with menace.

Without warning, all of the man's breath flew out of him in a heavy sigh and he slumped against her, his entire body weight threatening to crush her.

But she couldn't bring herself to push him away or run.

She could have sworn he spoke the words, "Help me," just before he fell on her.


	2. Chapter 2

_I really wish this manga would have been longer. Alas, I am left to my day dreams._

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beast Master.

Chapter Two

_Some questions are better unanswered._

How Yuiko had gotten such a strange, large, and _unconscious_ man into her bathroom without her father noticing was beyond her. Of course, it helped that only minutes before she'd come up to the house, scoping out the situation before she took the animalistic man out of her secret hiding place, her father's drinking buddies were pulling up. Under the guise of "poker", they would get sufficiently drunk and stay out of the way for at least four hours.

At minimum.

But that didn't make it any easier for her to get him into the room. In the house, she was given the entire upper floor as an apartment, which was how it had been built to begin with, and the veterinarian rarely made the trip up the stairs. At least, he hadn't since her mother had run off.

Of course, he wouldn't mind very much if she had come home with a man; she was twenty-three, had graduated from college with a degree in Veterinarian Studies. The only reason she continued to live in his house was to learn her future career and make sure that her father ate something other than bar peanuts. Once in awhile, he would actually ask her why there wasn't a special man in her life that was constantly dropping by, trying to sneak into her bedroom.

She'd answer him that she wanted to focus on the course of her life before she thought about settling down with any man. Her father had said, "Why just one? Try out a bunch!"

She didn't think that he'd meant a man covered head to toe in blood.

Luckily, all that blood had dried on him, so there wasn't anything dripping on the floors that she would have to worry about. The moment she'd put him into the tub, he'd moaned, but his eyes hadn't opened. Gently, she set about washing him off by gently dabbing where the blood was dried with a soft sponge. As she did so, she couldn't help noticing that he really wasn't as scary as she had originally thought.

His face was soft, though there was a strange softness to it even in sleep. If he was older than her, it wasn't by much. There were no wrinkles or lines marring the skin around his mouth or eyes, though there was a small furrow in his brow. Moving slowly down his neck, she made it to his collarbone, surprised by the sharp, jagged scars there. If she hadn't known better, she'd think that he'd been attacked by some animal. But how would he have beat an animal large enough to do that? Besides they were all over him; it must have been a violent accident, maybe a car or airplane crash.

Moving down one arm, she was shocked at how...muscular he was. Obviously, he did something very dangerous, but also very physical. Maybe he was a professional fighter. That would even explain why he had such an animal-like demeanor, especially if it wasn't normal boxing. The rest of him was the same. Solid and hard, she started wondering how someone could get like that. It was almost as if he used every muscle every day, and vigorously.

Cleaning him up passed slowly but surely, taking even more time when she paused to wonder if she dared to undress him anymore than he already was. When she would have started to, she pulled herself back. _No. No, no, no. You don't know what he's capable of in the span of time it would take Dad and his friends to get up here after you scream._

After taking care of the rest of him that was visible, she decided that to wash his hair was only fair. She could see where the blood had tinted it red against pure black. As quietly and gently as possible, she turned on the faucet, ducking his head under the stream of water. First, she did the tips of his hair, since they were the worst. Freshly wet blood flowed down the drain, staining the white, acrylic surface of the tub.

Carefully, she moved his head fully under the stream of water, careful to keep the water from getting on his face. She worked in a little shampoo, just to get it that little bit cleaner.

Black eyes flew open with no warning, his two strong hands going to the side of the bath to fling himself out. Before she knew what was happening, he was standing just behind her, a newly-clean forearm wrapped around her throat. "Where am I?" he asked, his voice raspy from not being used. "Who brought me here?"

It was then that he must have noticed that there was no more blood on him; even his hair was shining brightly once again, though it dripped onto the floor. His arm around her loosened so he could turn her towards him, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air. "There are others here," he said simply, narrowing his eyes on her.

"Yeah, my dad and his friends. You passed out on me and I couldn't leave you covered in blood in the middle of the park. I decided to take you back here, clean you up, and let you rest. You have a really deep cut on your arm; you're just lucky that it's already clotting." Was she _really_ going to try to teach a man that was sniffing her bathroom how to take care of himself? God, she had to be crazy! He was definitely on-edge and she wasn't sure that she could keep him calm. _Just like a jungle cat._

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I guess I should thank you. I'll be leaving now." He turned away from her, striding towards the door. When he opened it, filling the doorway, he stopped and stood completely still. Glancing over his shoulder, he snarled, "What did you do?"

She blinked at him. "What? What do you mean? I haven't done anything but get rid of all that blood for you!"

With a snarl, he slammed the door closed and stomped towards her. "What perfume are you wearing? Did you infuse it with cat pheromones or something? Who told you to do it?"

_Cat...pheromones? He can't stop sniffing me because he thinks I spray myself with cat pheromones._

When he grabbed her arm in a too tight grip, she barely kept herself from crying out. "Stop it!" she ordered, trying to yank her arm away. "I don't know what you're talking about or why you think that I would spray myself with something that gets cats _horny_! I'm a human if you hadn't noticed; cats aren't my thing. Besides, weren't you just leaving?" Grabbing his wounded arm around the wrist with both hands—he had made the mistake of holding her with his weakest appendage—she twisted herself, breaking his hold and forcing him to his knees.

She knew it was only surprise that got him to stay down; he was too much stronger than her for otherwise. But she still took advantage of the moment. Making sure to keep a firm hold on him, she hissed, "You've worn out your welcome. Now you may leave. If you don't this time, I'll call the cops." She shoved him away from her, but he didn't stumble away. Instead, with a graceful movement, he caught her wrist once again, turning to face her. Narrowing her eyes, she snarled, "I _mean_ it—"

He smirked at her; it was anything but pleasant. She felt as if he were playing with his food—which was _her_. "Either you're a really good liar or you are what you say. As a Breed, I should be able to sniff out deceit. All you smell like"—he took another whiff of her, his pupils dilating—"_life_." Involuntarily, he brought her closer so they were chest to chest, though he was much taller than her.

Eyes widening, she looked for anyway to stop him. Swallowing as she discovered the only way she was going to be able to do that, Yuiko looked him right in the eye, noting that his face was getting much too close for comfort to hers. She took a deep breath, then dug her finger into the gash on his arm, knowing it was going to be enough to distract him.

And she was right. With a hiss of pain, he let go of her, giving her the time to run to the door and fling it open. She made it to the top step before his arm wrapped around her waist, dragging her back against him. His other hand covered her mouth, cutting off all sound. "Shh," he murmured directly into her ear. "I know one of the men downstairs; I'd remember the scent anywhere. He'll tear this house—and your family—apart if he finds out one of my kind were here."

Yuiko didn't believe him, but she had to act at surrender if she wanted to get away from him. Softening against him, she let him lead her into the only bedroom on the top floor—hers. He closed the door almost noiselessly behind them.

That's when she went crazy.

Biting into his hand, she locked her jaw as tightly as she possible could, tasting the blood on her tongue. But he was still holding onto her, ignoring the pain spreading through his arm from the points that her teeth were digging into his hand. She squirmed relentlessly against him, but that didn't stop this strange man from moving them towards the bed.

When she hit it, he quickly turned her around before dropping both of them to the mattress. "You need to be quiet," he growled. "If that guy comes up here and finds a Breed here, he's going to kill everyone else here. I'd know that scent anywhere."

She continued glaring at him, noting that his cut had already healed beneath her teeth. There was not even the smallest amount of blood dripping into her mouth anymore. How had he healed so fast?

"I'm going to let go of your mouth," he said calmly, "and I'm going to explain some things to you. You're going to lie there and be a good girl. You're going to need to know all this in the future." A flash of possessiveness came to his eyes as he looked his fill of her. Then those black eyes caught hers once again. "Can you do that for me?"

Not knowing what else she would be able to do, she nodded, planning to bolt at the next available opportunity.

Hesitantly, he lifted his hand from her, watching for any sign that she might scream. After several moments of nothing, he sighed, careful to keep his full weight off of her. "I saw how you were with that cat earlier; you can't act like that when you see my kind. They'll do a lot more than give you a couple scratches." The question of what he meant by "his kind" was written all over her face.

"About fifty years ago, government scientists finally created what they thought of as the perfect solider. They had been working on gene splicing for many years and now they had something to show for it." He paused, looking at her as if he expected her to know exactly what he was talking about. "They created abominations, things that God would never have put on this earth. They'd mixed animal genes with human to create human children that would grow to have the power of their animal brethren."

Her eyes widened, too large for her face. There was no way...that had to be impossible...didn't it?

He continued on, gauging her reaction. "We were treated like monsters. Once you were able to walk and talk, you were put into the ring to fight the others, sometimes even your litter mates. You would fight until they told you to stop; sometimes that meant that you had to kill the others.

"The women were attacked daily by the guards. They were tranquilized, tied down, and raped. The males were almost constantly training, which was a fancy word for torture. They wanted us to have no weakness physically, mentally, emotionally, or sexually. We were _disposable_. Then, almost five years ago, a lab broke free. They helped others. There are still more, but we follow one leader and attack like the animals we are. We trust few humans and tell no one about the Breeds."

Her breath caught. _Told no one._ "Then why tell me?" she croaked, too shocked to care about how she sounded. "Why tell me about what you are, what was done to you?"

"Because I'm taking you with me."

Her eyes widened, but before she could think to do anything, she was flung over his shoulder. He moved towards the window and she started flailing wildly, careful to keep quiet. "You can't just take me! I have a life _here_; besides, I don't even know you! Put me down and leave me alone!" He said nothing, just held her as still as possible as he opened the window. "No!"

With a well-placed knee, she knocked the breath out of him. As he sank to his knees, she rolled off his back and up onto her feet. She moved out of his reach, hissing, "You can't just take me away from my life when I don't even know so much as your name! Go back to where you came from and _leave me alone_!" She kept her voice just above a whisper, but conveyed all her anger just the same.

He rose slowly to his feet, turning towards her. "Others will be here the second they catch the scent of my blood. Especially with _his _scent wafting around this place. I'm protecting _you_ from my...friends who would slaughter anyone in their search for me." He smiled widely, showing all those pearly white teeth. "Besides, I've decided I want you to be with me. And I don't give up easily."

Quick as a cat, he was at her side, pulling her into him once again. Though she hit him, it wasn't very effective. That didn't mean she didn't give up, though. If hitting his arm had worked once, it would again. Bringing her hands up to grip his biceps, she squeezed with all her might, feeling the cringe that went through him.

"Yuiko? Yuiko, are you all right?"

Both paused as the voice slid under the door and into the room. It was her father, coming to check on her. If she wasn't mistaken, he was at the top of the stairs. He would knock once then fling the door wide open.

Eyes narrowed, the man forced himself away from her. Holding himself on the perch of the window, he said, "I'll be back for you, _Yuiko_. If anyone comes here and acts like I do, tell them Leo Aoi said this house is off limits."

With that, he disappeared into their yard, just in time for her father to burst in.

_Short chapter, I know. But it's been awhile since I updated, so I felt like I should do so. :P_


	3. Chapter 3

_I'm sorry for not posting sooner. I was in an accident and once I got out of the hospital, I had school and some therapy that I had to do. I'm hoping to get back on track, but I can't promise much of anything._

_Also, I'd like to thank the following people that have alerted/favorited/reviewed for this story! You all mean the world to me and the continuation of this story. (:_  
>0athk33p3r and 0b1ivi0n, AutumnVonBach, InuLovex, wannachan, Fuzzy Pillows, TheFrozenSky'0103, Melody1200, angelthatfell, SesshiraRayu, Nikina, rachil, it0takes0skills0to0be0me, AlphaSigma, angelic-goddess101, hirome hanajioku, killylikesWhitlock, Rainfire of Riverclan, sakun93, Selene-of-the-Moon2, stealtagracia, Broken'nLostDeity, chichu-chan, , FoxBlood, kratos32536, nagozualdean, shelbs89, <em>and<em> talkstoangels77.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beast Master.

Chapter Three

_All's fair in love and war._

It had been a week since Yuiko had brought the broken man into her home. The quiet of that time made her wonder if he was really out there or if she had dreamed it all up. The only evidence that he had left was the memory she had of him, of the words he'd spoken without hesitation.

_"I'm taking you with me."_

No. No, that couldn't have been real. Still, she paid closer attention than ever before to the men that her father spent his time with. She tried to figure out which one it was, who could possibly be involved with Breeds. Unfortunately, they could all be suspects; her father liked to spend time with his fellow veterinarians. And wouldn't it be so convenient for people that make their living helping animals to be hunting Breeds?

Little things were starting to catch her attention more and more. Shadows in trees, footsteps on the streets, the wind beating against the window; these all made her back straighten, fear forcing adrenaline into her system at full power. But she felt almost...sad when she realized that it wasn't him.

What was wrong with her? He was going to try to force her to go with him. He acted as if he had the right to claim her as his when, truly, he didn't. What was she supposed to do? Just sit there and wait for him to come around? Did he really expect her to let him do all these things to her?

Still, his words rang through her head, bouncing off to echo in her skull. She couldn't quite wrap her mind around the fact that someone calling themselves a _Breed_ had actually announced that she was his. Was she in a romance novel or a drama? There was just no way that it could be true. No way...

However, exactly one week after he'd given her his promise that she would be going with him, Yuiko began feeling eyes on her. Everywhere she went, she knew that someone was watching, keeping tabs on her. She'd almost convinced herself that it was all in her head, that there was no way he could possibly know where she was at all times of the day. But even her inner voice was shaking as she tried to keep calm.

Finally, near dusk, she was on her way home. She had told herself an infinite amount of times that she had nothing to be scared of, that soon she would be home and back in her own bed. After locking the door, she would check all the windows, make sure they were locked up tight, then sit downstairs to play poker with her father and his friends.

A now-familiar tingle shot through her back and she knew whatever tracker she'd lost was now back on her trail. But it was different than before; perhaps one of those "friends" Leo had talked about was now following her? What had he told her to say if they approached her?

_"Tell them Leo Aoi said this house is off limits."_

The certainty that had been in his voice that night made her wonder if he was the leader, as if his word were law. Could there be a king of a bunch of animals? Or were they more human than he had let on?

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm roughly, tugging her back precious feet from her front door. "Don't scream, kitten," the unfamiliar voice rumbled into her ear. "Leo would be pretty pissed at me if I had to knock you out." He pulled her into the shadows of the bushes that lined the sidewalk, making them crouch low to avoid detection. "Don't worry, either. If Leo says you're off limits, then we won't do nothin' to you. We don't like to piss off The Leopard."

She was frozen, unable to really hear what he was saying even as he started pulling her into the alley behind her house. No one could see well back there at night; all the streetlamps lining the dirt avenue had been going out recently, which made her abruptly wonder if that was Leo's doing. It made anger broil in her blood, kicking up her adrenaline and strength to Herculean heights.

With a snarl, she grabbed the man's—_Breed's—_hand clutching her with her free one, using all her power to throw him off kilter. Shocked, he hit the ground just in front of her, but his hold never broke; she crashed to the ground with him. Hissing, she raked her sharp fingernails down his face and dug her teeth tightly into the tendons of his wrist. This had to make him let go. There was no way someone could withstand the pain that would no doubt erupt from the points where her teeth were about to tear through.

To her surprise, he didn't let go. Instead, he easily disengaged her teeth from him and tossed her over one shoulder. She could feel him shaking out his wrist as he walked. Hearing him mutter to himself about Leo and his taste in women, Yuiko fought valiantly to get him to release her, wiggling and kicking with all her power until he threw her into the back of a car.

Struggling with the doorhandle, she realized too late that there were child locks on the back doors. When she would have dove into the front seat, he was already in and starting the car.

Glancing back at her with a smug smirk, he murmured, "I'd hold on if I were you. I'm not much of a fan of the speed limit." With that, he stomped on the accelerator, flinging them out onto the street, horns blaring as they cut off several cars.

Yuiko breathed heavily in the backseat, terrified to say the least. She knew better than to try to jump out of a moving vehicle and she wasn't so stupid as to think that he would take a way that she would remember. The only thing that calmed her was the need to find out as much as possible about what was going on. "What are you guys going to do with me?" she asked with surprising strength. Leaning forward in her seat so her face was next to his, she snarled, "I'm telling you right now, my father doesn't have much money. A ransom isn't going to be coming to you." _Lie._ Her father was one of the wealthiest veterinarians in the city. And since they rarely splurged on anything, they had quite the nest egg saved up for a rainy day.

The big, dark man chuckled at her. "Leo said he already told you all about this. About us." He looked over his shoulder at her again, a charming smile present on handsome features. "You're his, so he's bringin' you back to the shelter we've created. Otherwise we won't be able to protect you from the Councilmen." His face was deadly serious as he turned his attention back to the road. "Especially that one in your house."

She wanted to demand who he was talking about, why he spoke like he knew all of her father's friends. All the same men were there as when she'd brought Leo—the ungrateful bastard—back to her house; it was poker night. She didn't care for this man's involvement anymore than she'd liked Leo's.

Storing as much information on this man as possible for when she had to go to court and ID him, she took in every physical thing about him. His broad shoulders were relaxed as if he didn't have a worry in the world. Dark brown eyes sparkled with mischief, though there was something much fiercer behind them. Cleanly cut and styled red-black hair and elegantly hanging clothes gave him the look of a manager rather than a recon agent. Large hands held the wheel with ease with barely a flex of heavily-muscled arms to make it do his bidding. His face was a marvel in itself, handsome while at the same time masking a beast. Pale white skin was brought out by full lips and a nose that had been broken at least once before. His eyes were exotic, just barely curved and slanted.

Sitting back, Yuiko kept a close eye on him. "So you just assume that I'll go along with all of this? I want nothing to do with _Leo_ or any of you people!" Knowing she would look like a pouting child, she crossed her arms and stared morosely out the car window—which was heavily tinted, probably illegally so—waiting for his response.

For a long time, he said nothing. Neither seemed to even be breathing as the car wound around bends, sending them deeper into the thick forest. The trees became little more than a blur as he pushed the car even faster, easily cutting through even when the dirt road came to a stop.

Soon, Yuiko lost track of where they were. Fear strangled her, made her arms drop to her sides so her hands could twitch nervously. Such a delayed reaction, she knew, was normal; the reality of her situation was just hitting her. But she couldn't help wishing that she had fought harder, screamed to get her father and his friends outside. Who knew if she would come out of this alive? Even Leo couldn't protect her from everything, could he?

_Why are you hoping to rely on him? He's the one who put you in this position in the first place!_

"Dear God," her kidnapper breathed as the car came to a halt. He spun around to glare at her, though it lacked any real viciousness. "Your fear is raping my nose right now!" His voice was dead serious and partially angry. He was mad that she was scared?

Maybe he shouldn't have taken her from her home then, hmm?

"What do you expect?" she shouted, annoyance covering fear easily. "I got attacked in front of my house, dragged into a car, and brought somewhere I can't find my way back from! Am I supposed to just sit here and take it? No!" She lunged forward to slap the silly smirk off his face. "I'm going to kick your ass, then take this car for myself! Let me out so I can hurt you!"

She didn't care for his laughing at her. His chuckles were even more infuriating than she had ever thought possible. _Oh, to wipe that look off his face..._

"Leo _would_ choose someone like you for a mate. Jesus Christ, you're a vicious little thing," he laughed. Eyes twinkling, he added, "I'm your guard, by the way. When Leo isn't around, you come to me. Understood?"

Again he gave her that infuriating grin, the one that made her want to punch something. She hated people who would grin like that. "Oh, well, Mr. Bodyguard—"

"Oleksandr. My name is Nikolai Oleksandr."

A twitch came to her eyebrow as she forced herself to remain calm. "—Mr. Oleksandr, then. You have to do as I say, right?" When he opened his mouth to refute such a claim, she held up one hand. "Ah, ah, ah! Leo's mate"—she cringed at the word—"is _talking_! You realize that if you don't do as I say, I'll be reporting to Leo, yes?" He nodded, watching her warily as if she were a snake coiled to attack. "Good. Well, I want you to take me home immediately. I have no intention of staying here as a prisoner. Tell Leo that, if he wants to have me, he'll have to court me the old fashioned way." She held out her hand. "Now, keys please before you leave the car."

Just as Oleksandr's eyes darted to the window, Yuiko's door flew open and a long-fingered hand was suddenly wrapped around her arm, pulling her from the car. Before she knew what was happening, Leo had wrapped her up in his arms, pulling her against his chest to better sniff her hair.

"Yuiko's smell is nice," he breathed into her scalp, bringing a bright flush to her face. Without looking up, he spoke to Oleksandr, a hard tone that spoke volumes of his stature within the Breeds. "You can go in now. I need to talk with her alone."

Eyes widening, Yuiko wanted nothing more than to tell Oleksandr to stay, frightened at the possibility of being alone with Leo. She wasn't afraid of him, that much she was certain; but now that she was in the midst of seeing him, she was afraid that she might get carried away.

And what woman wouldn't? Though he was a scary looking individual, he was treating her like porcelain: touch gently so as not to break. And he wasn't bad to look at! Sure, the last time she'd seen him, he'd been practically covered in blood that could only do so much to mask his scars. But his face was boyish, alight with youthful splendor. Though he'd described to her some of the terrors he and his brethren had gone through, there was still a light of hope in his eyes, reflecting brightly wherever he looked. Instead of cynicism, he took the world in through visions of a happy future.

"L-let go of me," she mumbled, even as her arms twitched to go around him as well. She had to keep her head; if she didn't, she'd never get away.

Slowly, Leo pulled away with arms still around her, keeping a trained eye on her face. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he could read her like a book even when some of her closest friends couldn't do so. There was a connection between them that worried her and yet made her ache to explore it. Had anyone ever really taken the time to get to know her on such a level?

He frowned a bit at her then. "You're mad at me." His words were simple, crisp. No questions, no hesitation, just fact. "I told you I was going to take you with me."

That stirred up her annoyance. Did he really think that just saying so would make it all better? Seriously, hadn't he ever dated a woman before?

Of course, she immediately berated herself for that. He'd been raised in a lab; how would he know proper courting routine? If he'd really been through all that he said he was...he probably didn't even realize that he had just trounced over several different laws. Or he really just didn't care.

Which still wasn't going to work for her.

Her hands flew to his shoulders, thrusting him away as she tried to stay in control of herself and strong. "I don't even know you! Yet you expect me to just sit here and let you do whatever you like with me? Why couldn't you just leave me alone?" Until that moment, she hadn't looked him in the eye. She'd kept her gaze carefully focused just over his shoulder. Now, however, she couldn't stop herself from peeking up at him from beneath blonde bangs.

His face had become childlike, pained as if he had lost his favorite toy. Black eyes were filled with sadness, an unspoken message clear in them: he had thought she would be the one to understand him. Still, he didn't say anything as he let his arms fall to his side.

Unable to let him suffer, Yuiko breathed, "Leo, I'm sor—"

"Leo!"

His head swung away from her at that, his body instantly alert and on guard. Though she had obviously hurt him, he twisted his body to block hers, ready to take a blow that might be intended for her.

Suddenly, he relaxed, though not fully. Another man she had never met—tall and blonde—was jogging towards them, a large smile on his face and stars in his eyes. He was watching Leo like he was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life.

"Leo, you need to get back inside the shelter. If they were to find you..." The man caught sight of Yuiko finally, glancing back to Leo hurriedly with tears in the corners of his eyes. "Is this..._her_?" A quick nod from Leo had the man straightening, looking at her with a certain amount of disinterest. "Then you are Yuiko Kubozuka. I am Kyle Tokizaburou-Rosenburg. I am _human_ and have been taking care of Leo Aoi since he first escaped from his lab."

Yuiko was shocked and appalled at the rude behavior. She had guessed that Leo told everyone that they were to be on their best behavior with her, but this man obviously didn't care. And Leo didn't jump to swoop in either. Perhaps there was something going on that she didn't entirely understand with Mr. Tokizaburou-Roseburg.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Leo led Yuiko inside, speaking quietly under his breath to her. "Don't mind Toki," he murmured, keeping his eyes on said man's back. "He just doesn't agree with bringing you here under these circumstances."

"Oh, weird. Someone who doesn't want to be an accessory to kidnapping? Who could _ever_ not like that?" She tried to duck out from under his hold, but he held tight, smiling at her like a child that was winning a game. _My life is not some _game_, Leo. I was living it just fine until _you_ showed up._

She didn't have the strength to lie, though. His smile was doing strange things to her stomach, making it light. Were these those butterflies all her married friends talked about? They saw their husbands and immediately came the batting of wings against their innards. Did she even _like_ this feeling?

No. She wasn't falling for Leo Aoi, "The Leopard". She was just terrified because of the situation she was in. Yeah. That was it. Once she was able to run, she would. And she'd go _far_ from here, where he would never find her.

Stepping into the cave was almost like stepping into the middle of a Congressional meeting. All eyes immediately turned on her—well, and Leo—as he led her confidently through the parted group. She had to wonder what kind of a position he held within their ranks, why they all stared in awe and respect as they passed. Her heart was beating a mile per second in her chest and all she could think about was what would happen if she made one wrong move.

The cave had been renovated within, though. Instead of being jagged rock everywhere, they'd made a makeshift house within. She was sure that the tunnels would lead to separate rooms. There could be countless within this structure, making it almost impossible for someone unfamiliar with it to find their way in or out.

And, once again, she was terrified.

Leo's gait slowed, then stopped altogether as he turned them to face the rest of the room. There were at least two dozen Breeds, male and female, watching her with rapt gaze. Looking up at the man by her side, she wanted to ask why they were staring.

"The Leopard has chosen a human female for his mate? She is quite stunning, for a human at least," one voice—feminine—whispered.

"We need a human Alpha. She will help to protect us."

"We will protect her, as well."

_Alpha? Is Leo the Breed _leader_?_ Yuiko couldn't even wrap her mind around the idea. He had to be one of the youngest ones in the cave; they followed him blindly? They looked to him for leadership? And why were they calling her his mate?

"Yuiko," he murmured against her ear, making her jump. "I'll explain everything when we have time alone. We have to get you acquainted with everyone first."

She was going to fall, she knew. She didn't expect to faint on the way down, however.

_I hope you all liked this chapter! I know it's been awhile since I last updated anything, but I was in an accident and just got caught up with my classes. I can't promise to update as regularly as I once did, but I'm trying!_


	4. Chapter 4

_I've been rereading _Beast Master_ (for the millionth time), and I can't help wanting to write a softer Leo. Not for the whole story, but for a chapter.  
>Oh, and best review <em>ever_ goes to _it0takes0skills0to0be0me_!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beast Master.

Chapter Four

_Stuck between a rock and a hard place._

Yuiko awoke in a strange bed, though her mind immediately knew whose it was. She sat up, covered in little more than high-thread-count sheets, and realized that she could hear voices just beyond the canopy surrounding the bed. Leaning forward to better hear them, she recognized Leo's voice, as well as Toki's.

"Leo, she can't stay with us! Her father has already started looking for her; if we need to move to a new place, we can't afford for her to get noticed. The police—and inevitably the Council—will follow us if we are involved with a kidnapping," Toki was saying, obviously trying to spare Leo's feelings.

"The Leopard" chuckled. "You don't have to worry about it, Toki. She's my mate; I'm sure once I explain our plan to her that she'll be the missing key to get it out into the open." She heard something that could have been a clap on the shoulder and knew that Leo was smiling his almost child-like grin. "Besides, I can't let her go."

His words stopped the breath in her lungs. He really, truly wanted to keep her. Otherwise, would he be going through so much danger? Obviously _someone_ was looking for her or Toki wouldn't have brought it up. He didn't even care that she didn't _want_ to stay there with him, nor did he seem to mind that he might be taken to jail.

This only managed to infuriate her and she slipped from the bed, forgetting that she was only in a men's button-up shirt—though she wasn't sure how she'd gotten in it to begin with.

"Excuse me," she hissed with menace, making the men turn towards her, "but I feel as if _I_ should have a part in this conversation!"

Leo was almost immediately in front of her, grinning from ear to ear like he'd just been given a cookie. "You must be feeling better, Yuiko," he said happily, unknowingly avoiding her words. His arms started to wrap around her as his nose descended into her hair. "You still smell nice," he murmured, a rumble of pleasure vibrating through his chest.

"Let go!" she shouted, hands going to his shoulders and pushing him away. Not enjoying how her heart beat just that little bit faster when he was so close, she took a step back from him when he started to crowd her once again. She raised her finger until it was just centimeters from chest. "No! You stay right there!" Dropping her hands to her sides, she took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach. "You have to let me go," she responded after a moment of charged silence between the three occupants of the room. "My father will worry about me and we both know that I _don't belong here_. Toki," she added, motioning towards the blonde man, "is completely right. I'm just going to make it harder for you to leave here if you need to.

"Besides, this kind of thing is completely new to me, not to mention against my culture. Men who kidnap women are _bad guys_; they aren't someone you go with by choice." Her eyes were roaming anywhere that didn't involve looking straight at his face. "Maybe you could come back and take me out on dates and things, but until then, I can't be with you. Not the way you seem to need me to."

The silence stretched out for a moment and it made her uncomfortable enough to glance into his face. It was contorted in thought, as if he were confused over something she said. "What's a date?" he asked suddenly, which served only to confuse _her_.

Blinking, Yuiko answered, "It's going out for dinner or a movie with someone you like—"

"'Like'?"

"—someone you want to spend more time with. Anyways, you just go out and spend time with the person you like." She noticed the light bulb that seemed to go off above his head and opened her mouth to continue her tirade on why she should be returned to her father.

But he interrupted her. "Let's go on a date, then. I'll get Oleksandr to bring the car and we'll go do something you want to do." He grabbed her hand, smiling brightly. "Because I like you and I want to spend more time with you."

She stared at him, shocked by his blunt attitude. _I really shouldn't be so surprised,_ she thought. _It isn't like this is a new aspect to him that I never knew._ Clearing her throat, she answered, "Leo, I'm sorry, but that isn't possible. I don't know you and I really just don't want to go on a date with you." She knew her words were harsh, but she wasn't getting through to him any other way. And shouldn't she be angry? She had every right to be! "I mean, after I helped you, you _kidnapped_ me. You might think that there's nothing wrong with that, but to me there is! Why would you do that?" she demanded.

A change came over his demeanor. He was no longer carefree and childish. His eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest. He straightened to his full height—a head taller than her—and he became cold and calm. "You're in danger, Yuiko. I'm not about to let you stay in that danger just because you're scared of me."

"I am _not_ afraid of you!" she shouted, hands tightening into fists at her sides. "_You_ should be afraid of _me_! I'm not one of your weak females that can't fight for myself!"

"Don't let the females hear you calling them weak; even I might not be able to hold them back," he said with a sardonic grin. "Besides, I'm keeping you here. Try to fight your way out of here, to run away. One command from me"—had he ever seemed so cocky before?—"and several hundred Breeds will search all over the world for you. That is, if you make it out of our compound." He stepped aside, waving her to walk past if she chose to. "I won't force you to spend time with me if you don't want to. But I also won't let my mate go off to find her own death. I'll protect you in the best way I see fit.

"So, you have two choices. The first, go out with me and waste a few hours wandering around. Or the second, which is to stay here until you change your mind about the first."

She stared at him, shocked and disgusted. How dare he talk to her in such a way! "Excuse me, but do you think you can try to see this from _my_ point of view? Some guy—who was covered in _blood_ the first time I met him—drags me to his compound, surrounded by people that refer to themselves as 'Breeds' and say they have animal blood in them. Oh! And it turns out the guy from before thinks you're his 'mate'! Doesn't that sound just the tiniest bit uncomfortable to you?"

Leo didn't budge. If anything, he looked more determined. "I don't _think_ you're my mate; I know. I can smell it on you, I can feel it in the air whenever you're in the room. There's something about you that's calling to me and I'm not about to lose you just when I found you." He glanced over at Toki and Oleksandr. "Tell the others to bring her back to this room if she tries to go anywhere. I won't trust anyone but me—not including the two of you—with her safety."

Then, without glancing at her, he strode down the hall, Toki following closely after. She was so furious, she could do nothing but watch him leave.

"He's right, you know. It's really dangerous for you out there."

Snarling, Yuiko turned on Oleksandr. "You're just going to stand by while he does this to me? Do you have any idea how inhumane this treatment is? I am not some pet that you can just put a leash on! I'm a human being, damnit!"

A dark gleam came to his eyes at her words and he stepped closer to lean down into her face. "We know all about wantin' to be treated like humans. But we also know how far the men lookin' for us will go to take back Leo. Personally, I would take his kindness and be grateful; otherwise you'd probably be vivisected on a lab table by now." With that, he too strode away from her down the hall.

His words had cut her, but she wouldn't back down. She would teach these Breeds a thing or two.

_Idle hands are the devil's plaything._

She was so _bored_. Three days stuck in a room was more than Yuiko could take. There wasn't much to keep her attention other than some books piled in the corner. And they were all things that she had been forced to read in high school. Did she want to reread them? Not really.

But she couldn't let him win! Every night he came to sleep—oh, yes, he most definitely did make her sleep in the same bed as him!—he would ask again if she wanted to go on a date the next day. Every time she said hell to the no. No way was she going to reward him by doing exactly what he wanted. All that he was putting her through made her want to rage at him, but for whatever reason she couldn't.

The first day, she had tried to run. And failed miserably. Several females—two Bears and a Wolf—had swarmed her, ushering her back to the room before she knew what was happening. Sneaky animal-people. Of course, as the leader's mate, she was treated with the utmost care, as if she were so fragile she might break. But they didn't listen to her when she said that they were holding her as a prisoner. All they did was smile and nod, as if placating a child.

But she couldn't stay in the room any longer. If she did, she would go insane. Besides, a new plan of escape was forming in her mind.

She could go "waste a few hours wandering around" with Leo, Toki, and Oleksandr. And how hard would it be for a petite woman to disappear in a crowd? She wouldn't allow them to hold on to her and she knew well how to hide herself. That was how she pounced on her father's runaway patients.

Still, she didn't know if her pride would let her even lie about wanting to go out on a date with Leo. It held her back, making it impossible to let the words come out. Even though it was getting closer to the time that the leopard-man would show up to sleep and ask his usual question, the words weren't forming in her mind.

Other than her pride, she felt...strange deceiving a man that really thought he was protecting her. And that treated her like a queen. A captive queen, but royalty nonetheless. How could she throw that back in his face so carelessly?

_But I'm here against my will! This isn't where I belong!_

She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed when Leo slipped into the room. Giving a small jump, she turned towards him. "Why wouldn't you warn me that you were coming in?" she demanded, trying to believe that the skip in her heartbeat was because his sudden entrance had surprised—not excited—her. "What if I'd been indecent? How would you have known?" Fear of the man in front of her, of the things his presence made her feel, was the reason the words came out so brusquely. Never before had a man's close quarters made her feel so...feminine. It was as if she were only just realizing that she was a woman.

It didn't help that the clothes his people brought her were less of the T-shirt-and-jeans variety that she was used to. No, they were more dresses-and-skirts kind of thing. She hadn't worn a skirt since she'd left high school and she had been hoping to keep it that way.

He smiled calmly, much as a husband gave a wife after years of living with her. "I wouldn't have. But I wanted to go to bed." No explanations, really. Just blunt honesty.

The past nights, she'd pretended to be asleep when he came in. He knew that she was awake, but he didn't push her on it. She'd heard him stripping off his shirt, shucking his bottoms until he slid into bed with just his boxers, but she made it a point to keep distance between them on the bed. No, Leo Aoi wasn't getting anywhere near her in a state of undress.

"Why do we have to sleep in the same bed together?" she asked gruffly, much like a pouting child. He stopped on his way to the connecting bathroom, turning to look at her with clear confusion on his face. "I'm not comfortable with you sleeping there with me. Either you have to leave or I have to. I can't do it."

There was that word again: comfortable. She didn't think it was uncomfortable in the sense that she hardly knew him and he was just a roll away. It had more to do with the fact that she could hardly stop herself from reaching out to him, to ask for something she had never had. What the hell was wrong with her? Surely Stockholm syndrome didn't set in so quickly! She needed to run, needed to get out. He was wreaking havoc on her brain and it was becoming nearly impossible to hold back her body's urge to be close to his.

He seemed to notice the panic that filled her immediately. Taking a step towards her, he said, "Yuiko is my mate. Mate's sleep together. Therefore, I sleep in the same bed as Yuiko." He spoke as if this were the most logical thing in the world. "That's how it's always worked here."

His innocence towards a normal human interaction was astounding. Was he a madman, or was that really how he thought? "But that's not how it's been for _me_." She noted he was moving towards her from the other side of the room, quickly checked for escape routes. Finding only a few, she knew that she had to be careful of what she said. "I was raised by _humans_, Leo. I'm not used to this 'mate' stuff. I don't understand your way of thinking and this is all very scary to me." _Bullshit it is. I just need you to stay the hell away from me so that you stop causing me all these problems!_

He stiffened for a second before the childlike Leo disappeared. Suddenly, he was back to arrogant Leo, the one that knew exactly what he was capable of and was willing to do it. "Yuiko, I'm not a human." His smile was feline in nature as he stepped forward, a predator hunting prey. She didn't know if he thought this was some kind of game or not, but she took the necessary steps back to be sure. "That means I don't think like a human, just like you don't think like a Breed. And there's only one of us that will get our way." The implied _me_ wasn't added, didn't need to be.

As Yuiko found herself backed into a corner, she realized what he had done. He'd seen all the escapes she had before her, planned around them. He'd cornered her with no noticeable change in facial expression or direction of his gaze. Taking in everything around them, he had picked out how she would try to run and destroyed such a chance of that happening.

He truly was a leopard in man's clothing.

As he stepped in close, she could smell his breath. It was minty, as if he'd just brushed his teeth. His hair was just the slightest bit damp, a light sheen of moisture on his skin. As he leaned in closer still, she stopped breathing altogether, eyes darting to the lips that hovered just over hers.

"You know, I've been wondering what Yuiko's kiss is like," he murmured, glinting eyes catching hers. "You always seem so controlled. Do you control that too?"

Her face flamed bright and her hands met his chest, though she was no longer sure she could push him away. Had she ever felt better than in the moment that he had closed in on her, leaving her just enough room to breathe? "D-don't talk to me like that," she breathed, trying to rein in her thoughts. "I...I'm not just some girl you can...you can..."

His lips met hers, softly, briefly. When they left, his eyes gleamed with something primal.

Only after that did his kiss hold a darker edge. He was taking, she realized, and she could do little else than give as something almost cinnamon in taste filled her mouth. It only made her want more and her hands went to either side of his head, capturing his hair in her grip to tug his face ever closer.

She _needed_ him. Something about this kiss was more than she'd ever felt. Sure, guys had caught her fancy in the past, but their kisses weren't drugging. No, this was something she could honestly say she wasn't in control of. And wasn't she always in control? He'd hit that nail right on the head, so why was it different with this Breed?

"Yuiko," he growled, one arm wrapping around her waist to force her against him. As if she still weren't close enough, he lifted her off the ground, bringing her against the wall. His other hand tangled in her hair, dragging her mouth harder to his.

She gasped a little at the ferocity, but gave it little more notice. This was that thing she needed from him whenever he was around. But why were they still wearing clothes?

_Why is a virgin reaching for something she's never had? How does she know it's what she wants?_

The thought came, unbidden and unwelcome. But it worked like ice water being poured over her head. There was no way this was a good idea. Hell, she barely knew the man! And did she really want him to grow more attached to her than he already seemed to be? This was a horrible idea and she had to ignore the part of her that demanded more. She needed to flee, that fight-or-flight response hitting overdrive.

Her hands clenched at his shoulders, shoving at him with all the strength she had. "Lemme go!" she cried as she broke the kiss, pushing harder. "Put me down!"

Leo froze, his eyes catching hers. For a moment, Yuiko thought he would ignore her pleas as something flashed within his eyes. Then he set her down gently, an expression of self-loathing passing over his features. No doubt at the terror on her face, the obvious panic overriding her sensibility. "Sorry," he mumbled, rubbing his neck with one hand. "I...I really don't know what came over me."

But it was her that should be blamed. She was the one that had let things get out of hand. How could she have expected him to take the blame when she knew his intentions? What had come over her?

"I just want...I just want to go to bed." Was that defeat in her voice?

He nodded and crossed the room to turn off the light. Before the switch was flipped, she'd already slipped under the covers, curling up into herself.

As she heard him discard only his shirt and he climbed into bed beside her, she wondered how she could suddenly need his closeness so much. Her body itched as it never had before and it felt like something was coiled in her stomach. Was she actually coming to like him? Or was this just lust, something she could easily toss aside.

She shocked even herself when she asked, "Can we go on a date tomorrow?"

Yuiko could feel his smile against her skin as he curled around her, face buried where her neck met her shoulder. But, as she drifted off to sleep, she could have sworn he also placed a delicate kiss there.

_Okay, this is a bit of a filler chapter. So sue me. The scenes just kinda wrote themselves. Besides, I needed a little something between Leo and Yuiko to keep your attention. (;_


	5. ANNOUNCEMENT

THIS STORY, AS WELL AS ALL MY OTHERS, WILL BE RE-WRITTEN AND RE-IMAGINED. PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH ME.


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